PONTE DEL DIAVOLO - De Venom Natura review

 

PONTE DEL DIAVOLO - De Venom Natura

Self Released

PONTE DEL DIAVOLO is an Italian band I learned about in 2024 with their debut full length Fire Blades from the Tomb. That one came out on Season of Mist records. This new one is a self release which to me seems crazy because this band is killer. Musically PONTE DEL DIAVOLO answer the question as in what if Siouxsie Soux from the old English Post Punk band SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES fronted a Blackened Doom / Post Punk act. 

I liked their debut album a lot. They also have a compilation of their three early EPs which came out in late 2024 on Time to Kill Records. That's something I really wanna pick up but for now we have this seven song full length. You've got six originals and a cover of BAUHAUS's "In the Flat Field". Ah hell yeah on the BAUHAUS cover. 

For me this is better than their debut. The songs come across as more intricate whether they be Blackened Doom or the Gothic Post Punk stuff. They even throw in a trombone player on one song. There's also a duet on "Silence Walk With Me" featuring Gionata Potenti from the Italian Black Metal band NUBIVAGANT. Of course for me it's the amazing vocals by Erba del Diavolo which wins me over along with the overall sound and atmosphere the whole band produces. 

In the end yeah this is a winner. Of course I'm shocked this release is not on a label whether small or large. I mean what the fuck is going on here?  

LISTEN AND BUY IT HERE:

https://pontedeldiavolo666.bandcamp.com/album/de-venom-natura

WITCH PISS - The Devil Doesn't Burn review

 

WITCH PISS - The Devil Doesn't Burn

Ardua Music

Well with a name like WITCH PISS how could I not check em out. Now in all of my years I've never tasted Witch Piss. But I've certanly had my face into some Witch cunt. Be that personal acknowlegdement out of the way here we have the second full length by Belguim's WITCH PISS. They are a five piece Stoner Rock / Doom act.

 

Musically it all comes across as popular bluesy sounding Metal. If Belguim has a Grammy thing then this band would win. I'm joking on that point seriously with a name like WITCH PISS? But musically this band comes across like mainstream rock and it's very US oriented in sound. If I could pick an influence I'd say they like CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. 

If that floats your boat then here ya go. Great album cover which would be cool on a t-shirt. 

https://www.arduamusic.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://witchpiss1.bandcamp.com/album/the-devil-doesnt-burn

MONSTROSITY - Screams from Beneath the Surface review

 

MONSTROSITY - Screams from Beneath the Surface

Metal Blade Records

So if you're into Death Metal then you know that MONSTROSITY was the band George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher was in before he joined CANNIBAL CORPSE. Now in my not so humble opinion I'll say that the band's full length debut, Imperial Doom, which came out in 1992 on Nuclear Blast Records and it's follow up, Millennium, which came out in 1996 on some obscure label got more sales after George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher left to join CANNIBAL CORPSE. 

There are people out there who think MONSTROSITY's debut is better than George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher's debut CANNIBAL CORPSE album, Vile, from 1996. I tend to have a different opinion on that idea. Be that as it may as far as post "Corpsegrinder" era MONSTROSITY releases go there's five in total. Of that I own only 2003's Rise to Power and my copy is a reissue. I thought album was OK and vocalist Jason Avery did a decent job. 

Fast forward to now and of course MONSTROSITY has gone through more changes. Of course original drummer Lee Harrison is keeping this band alive. Original bassist Mark van Erp returned in 2022. On guitar you've the great Matt Barnes who joined in 2010. Finally there's new vocalist Ed Webb who joined the fold in 2021. So even with all of that I still had my preconceived opinion on what this album was gonna sound like. 

Now if you listen to the opening track, "Banished to the Skies" then yeah you'll think this album is gonna suck. I mean that's what I thought. But then when the second cut "The Colossal Rage" kicks in things really change. Be that two people in this band use to play in MALEVOLENT CREATION I was not shocked to where the sound structure developed into. 

Musically this reminds me a lot of the Bret Hoffman (RIP) era of MALEVOLENT CREATION. At least as a strong influence of course because they still wanna be Florida 1990. To me the combination works well. And as I partially mentioned before Matt Barnes is not just good. I mean the riffage is damm good on these songs. But as far as soloing goes he is a fucking amazing guitarist. 

Finally I have to say Ed Webb is a great vocalist. He comes across almost as if he was from Poland doing Brutal Fuckin Death Metal. But hey he can scream like a motherfucker. Which is why in the end this album is damm good. 

https://www.metalblade.com/us/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73wELS7JayY

MERCULISTARYA - Arado fajdalom a tunodes medreben review

 

MERCULISTARYA - Arado fajdalom a tunodes medreben

Pest Records

I was gonna call this late night Black Metal but as this release progressed I was like no this fucker will see the sun rise. Here we have the debut full length by MERCULISTARYA who hail from the great nation of Hungary. MERCULISTARYA is also a one man act. The one man being multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Arpad Szenti.

Arpad Szenti is also not some lone wolf. He's been a major player on drums with a few other known Hungarian acts such as the Black Metal bands AHRIMAN and ATHAME. He's also in the Death Metal act DAMMNATION and the Gothic Doom Metal act EVIL TEARS. In other words Arpad Szenti is the Hungarian version of Norway's premier drummer Hellhammer. The guy has got his fishing lines out everywhere to get a bite. 

Now as far as this release is concerned Arpad Szenti is an amazing songwriter who on here has come up with some damm good cuts. If you're knowledgeable about Hungarian Black Metal then listen as this guy nails it. I mean there's beauty, horror and out right destruction. As a vocalist Arpad Szenti brings forth a huge array of vocal styles which are subtle spoken word, harsh as fuck screaming and bellows from a beast. 

Musically it's tranquil at times then intense Black Metal surfaces to a point where it's symphonic, brutal or operatic. Yes listening to this album is a worthwhile endeavor, an experience to say the least. Arado fajdalom a tunodes medreben is a concept album which I have no idea what it's about. All the lyrics are in Hungarian. But worth checking out. 

https://pestrecords.ucoz.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://pestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/merculistarya-rad-f-jdalom-a-t-n-d-s-medr-ben

CORPSEMANGLE - Eating the Damned review

 CORPSEMANGLE - Eating the Damned

Self Released

I know it's only March but when I saw the cover artwork for this release I was like, I don't care what this band sounds like because this is definitely a contender if not an all out winner for Album Cover of the Year. I mean look at it! Seriously it could've been a CANNIBAL CORPSE album cover back in the day. Dammit I need it on a T-shirt, double X please. And a poster wouldn't hurt either because Extreme Metal artwork rules. 

So with all of that said this is the debut full length by CORPSEMANGLE (cool band name by the way) who are a  two piece Brutal Death Metal act from the great nation of Bulgaria. This two piece consists of Antoan Bozhkov, who started the band in 2015 on guitars and lead vocals. Along with him is Martin Aleksandrov who plays bass and adds backing vocals. The drum work is obviously programmed. Note to band, get a human drummer. 

With that said CORPSEMANGLE's full length debut comes across as a lot of early CANNIBAL CORPSE and DEICIDE worship which to me ain't a bad thing. Overall it's a brutal maniacle sound being produced. The production here is raw as fuck. Someone could call this a long lost demo from 1991, package it as a reissue on double vinyl, sell it for a hundred bucks and Extreme Metal collectors would buy it in a heartbeat.

As for me I like this a lot but I wanna hear their next album which I feel will be cool as fuck. I mean Antoan Bozhkov is good on the riffs and his solos are decent in that dive bomb style or in a melodic vein. He's got the damm good vocals as well. So yeah Brutal Fuckin Death Metal from Bulgaria rules! Now let's hear your next album.

LISTEN TO AND BUY IT HERE:

https://corpsemangle.bandcamp.com/album/eating-the-damned

TEMPLE OF DECAY - Profanus review

 

TEMPLE OF DECAY - Profanus

Old Temple

A few years ago when I heard Poland's TEMPLE OF DECAY's full length debut Rigor Mortis. I thought it was a damm good album. Musically it was what I'd call a traditional Polish Black Metal sound. You had the Thrash portions mixed in with the melody. The stand out point for me was the vocals which were pure hate filled vile attacks. 

Here we are a few years later with the third album by TEMPLE OF DECAY. Before I get into this I must admit that I missed out on their second album, Anti Deus, which came out in 2024 on Black Death Production. Also TEMPLE OF DECAY is a one man Black Metal band. That one man is Mortt who is responsible for everything. Also Mortt lives in Poland but also in Ireland. Must be a work thing. 

Anyways this new TEMPLE OF DECAY is fuckin amazing. Mortt's opening screams on this release could easily be "hell yeahs". Marching boots, sirens wailing and a ferocious guitar attack with savage sounding vocals and spoken worded insults. Everything is sung in Polish but you get the antagonized attitude. 

This new release is six cuts in just over thirty-four minutes in length. Within all of that you've got this tremolo picked wall of riffs that act as an atmospheric axe of destruction on some cuts. Other times it's a slower cold harshness that envelopes your mind. Mortt's vocals driving along either at screamed aggressive tempos or just bleak fucking demented doom. 

In the end it's releases like this that keep me a Black Metal fan even though they're few and far between. The five tracks on here are perfect. The last cut is spoken word and background sounds which is a loss in my book. Still it's far better then a lot. 

https://www.oldtemple.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/temple-of-decay-profanus

MAYHEM - Liturgy Of Death review

 

MAYHEM - Liturgy Of Death 

Century Media

So let me get some things out here which you'll understand. I am a MAYHEM fan in that I own 99.9% of all of their releases whether they're official or bootleg. Crazy enough my bootlegs have gone on to be official releases later on. Not only is MAYHEM one of my all time favorite Black Metal bands. But I still say their De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas full length from 1994 is the greatest Black Metal album of all time. But before someone screams "Bias"! Let me be honest by saying not all of their releases are that great in my not so humble opinion. And two of em are stinkers. 

Now with that said back in 2019 when the band released the Daemon full length I called it the real follow up of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Along with Necrobutcher on bass, Attila Csihar on vocals and Hellhammer on drums. You had two cool guitarists Teloch (aka: Morten Bergeton Iversen) and Ghul (aka: Charles Edward Alexander Hedger). These guitarists recreated the sound which Euronymous and Snorre Westvold Ruch did back in 1993. I mean the sound on Daemon was perfect. 

And here we are seven years later with the follow-up / seventh studio full length. The term "follow-up" fits this one perfectly because it's in the same vein as Daemon. The opener here, "Ephemeral Eternity", is definitely a great horrific way to start things off. From there onward it's either great or decent tracks. "Despair" and "Weep for Nothing" are damm good and worthy of being included in their new live set.

One thing I have to mention is that Attila Csihar has become iconic with his vocal style. There's no one like him and he proves it once again on Liturgy Of Death. Also huge props to Teloch and Ghul for their guitar work which is basically icy dark melodies and a barrage of cruel riffs. A perfect example is "Aeon's End". I like the twisted atmosphere of "Funeral of Existence". The rest of the tracks are good as well. 

MAYHEM are on a roll here especially being the last Norwegian Black Metal band from the early days that actually puts out great albums of late of course. Liturgy Of Death is a quality follow-up from Daemon. If I had the band's ear I'd say your next live set should just include songs from those two albums plus a few cuts from De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. Because they all fall together. Hey I can hope but the bottom line is that Liturgy Of Death is great.  

https://www.centurymedia.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAidgwVV3VI&t=921s

BELITH - Hounds of Hell EP review

 

BELITH - Hounds of Hell EP

Godz ov War Productions

So here we have a cool debut EP from a Polish four piece act who are musically a bit of a few things. There's four cuts on this release. Some come over as Thrash while others are in the vein of Black Metal. The weird part is that the two never meet as in true Blackened Thrash.

Obviously this band is searching for an identity. I really like their first song "Shepherd of Wolves" and the fourth cut "War Dogs". Both songs are evil sounding Thrash. Plus the bass is so prominent. The riffs are dark plus the guitar soloing is cool fluid sounds with sparking tones. The two other cuts fall in with a Melodic Black Metal style. But it's damm fuckin Polish all the way. 

What's wild is that BELITH is made up of one guy and three women. That's kind've a twist since it's usually three guys and a woman who's either the vocalist or bassist. But times have changed and a Polish band leads the way.

 

Specifically you've got Andrzej Plaszczyk producing the caustic vocals. The damm cool guitar sounds are provided by Maria Kopciuch. The bass work which I like so much on this release is performed by Kalina Krzemianowska. Finally Milena Dmochowska provides a robust drum sound throughout. 

It's a decent release as I said earlier. Personally I'd like to see what they'd do on a full length with more song writing activity placed at their disposal. 

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/hounds-of-hell

HELLFUCK - 9 Nails Hammered into the Flesh of God review

 

HELLFUCK - 9 Nails Hammered into the Flesh of God 

Godz ov War Productions

The genre tagline on this is Speed Metal / Thrash and they're from Poland. Before I go into that let's explore the line-up. HELLFUCK is a four piece act who started out in 2021. The band is made up of veteran Metal musicians from a few known Polish Extreme Metal acts and some not so. For me a long time fan of Polish Extreme Metal this is like a super group. 

You've got Skullripper (aka: Marcin Sienkiel) on guitar and vocals. He's in one of the greatest Polish Death Metal bands of all time, AZARATH. Next you got guitarist Nelek (aka: Daniel Wojtowicz) who was in the Death Metal band BANISHER. On bass there's Armagog (aka: Michal Samol) who's been in a ton of bands but also was the live bass player for AZARATH. Finally there's Inferno (aka: Zbigniew Robert Promiński) on drums who is also in AZARATH and BEHEMOTH. 

So yeah I said "super group" and yeah in all honesty those type of bands are 50/50 when producing something within their supposed potential. I'll say HELLFUCK is on the high side of supposed greatness. This is the second full length by HELLFUCK. Their debut, Diabolic Slaughter, came out in 2022 and also on Godz ov War Productions. Screw me for missing out on that one. 

As far as 9 Nails Hammered into the Flesh of God goes yeah it's part Speed Metal but there's definitely some early SLAYER influence going on here. Skullripper is doing his best to come across as Tom Araya at times. But his riffs are killer as fuck. I like Nelek's solos a lot and of course you've got a rhythm section from hell.

All in all this is a great Thrash album, obviously better than the big names putting out stuff this year. But this is obviously a side project for the band members of AZARATH to explore more fun and extreme insanity. The last AZARATH album, Saint Desecration, came out in 2020. A year later HELLFUCK started. In my not so humble opinion AZARATH's Blasphemers Maledictions from 2011 is one of the greatest Death Metal albums of all time. If you don't believe me then go listen to it or go fuck yourself. Hey Polish Power rules again!

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/9-nails-hammered-into-the-flesh-of-god

HIGHGATE - Prophecies Of Eternal Horror review

 

HIGHGATE - Prophecies Of Eternal Horror

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Here we have the fourth full length by this three piece act who hail from the great state of Kentucky. It's my first time hearing em. Prior to this release on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions the band's early stuff came out on Totalrust Music which is a label outta Israel. Their last release was a split in 2014. So do the math because it's been a long fuckin time since this band hit the studio. 

Be that as it may the tagline about HIGHGATE is that they're Sludge Metal / Doom. OK I'll give em that but they're not NOLA Sludge. They're definitely not Eastern North Carolina Stoner Sludge. I will say there's an influence of Northeast Sludge since I saw GRIEF five fuckin times. But in the end HIGHGATE might be something of their own twisted accord. 

Listening to this is like being in a hospice room for a week with a dying delusional cancer patient. The vocals are wails of fuckin pain educed insanity. The melodies are slow but not too much crushing. There's a killer solo or two. The drum work on a few cuts comes off as a cadence for a funeral procession. 

There are five cuts on this release. I think the first three are amazing. The last two are OK in my mind. It's 2026 and if ya wanna hear something insane then here ya go. This band is from Kentucky a state that has Bigfoot, Dogman and UFO sightings. Whatafuck? Of course ya gonna like it if you're tired of generic bullshit. Yeah this band rules!

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/prophecies-of-eternal-horror

WINTER ETERNAL - Unveiled Nightsky review

 

WINTER ETERNAL - Unveiled Nightsky

Hells Headbangers Records

So there's a lot to unpack here. WINTER ETERNAL, cool name by the way, is a one man Black Metal band. The one man is Soulreaper (aka: Stelios Makris) who is responsible for the vocals, guitars and bass. The drum work is performed by session player V. Nuctemeron. Just for the record WINTER ETERNAL started out back in 2011. Originally this band was from Athens, Greece but relocated to Glasgow, Scotland. 

This is WINTER ETERNAL's fifth full length and third released on Hells Headbangers Records. Now for someone who does buy stuff from HHR over many years. This band has escaped my notice and I don't have an answer to why. Be that as it may musically this is not anywhere close to what you know sound-wise by any Greek or Scotish BM acts. 

If anything this release comes across as something similar to the more obscure Swedish Melodic BM acts of the past. But with a definite revamp to the style which it's fuckin needed for a while. And look it took a fuckin Greek to do it. So hey Scotland some immigrants to your nation are cool as opposed to those other ones who are assholes. Which lead to young girls having to carry knives and hatchets to defend themselves. 

But anyways if ya like Black Metal (ah duh?) then get this release, turn the sound up to a comfortable listening level, then kick back and relax. Let the waves of cold tremolo picked riffs cascade over you. The vocals will stagger you to be awake. Yeah I like this a lot. The cover artwork is cool as well.

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://winter-eternal.bandcamp.com/album/unveiled-nightsky

DEVENIAL VERDICT - Old Blood Fresh Wounds compilation review

 

DEVENIAL VERDICT - Old Blood  Fresh Wounds

Transcending Obscurity Records

I've been a fan of Finland's DEVENIAL VERDICT for a few years now. I consider their 2022 debut full length, Ash Blind and their sophomore album Blessing of Despair from 2024 to be amazing. But it must be noted that DEVENIAL VERDICT are not a typical wake and bake Death Metal band. I've always called em Death Metal for late night listeners.

So when this came in for review I was shocked that they came out with a new album that quick. Thankfully I was wrong because this is actually early material per say. Since the band has been around for twenty years they decided to come out with a release which was part old songs given a revamp plus their Soulthirst EP which came out in 2016. 

In all honesty this release is for DEVENIAL VERDICT fans new and old. I think it's cool. Listening to their early stuff you realize they were your average modern Death Metal act with some Tech Death style thrown in. I mean it was the late 2000s / early 2010s. If I heard this stuff back in the day I'd say it was OK. Although "The Unborn God" is damm good.

Now the important portion is the inclusion of their Soulthirst EP from 2016 because it's on this release where you can hear the band progressing to where they are now. I really like this part because what came next six years later was their debut Ash Blind. It's not a perfect graduation because the band is still sound-wise in their early phase but still it's cool. 

I guess I'll have to file this one under the term "compilation" and a damm good one for fans only. Then again "reissue" works just as well.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://devenialverdictband.bandcamp.com/album/old-blood-fresh-wounds

IRON SLUG - Deceit and Misery review

 

IRON SLUG - Deceit and Misery

Road to Masochist Records

I've said it before but it bares repeating. Regardless if a new band sounds like something you've heard in the past. If they're good at what they do then that's all it matters. Case in point if you played me this and asked where this band came from. I'd say somewhere in the Midwest USA maybe Indiana or Illinois. And I'd be really fuckin wrong.

 

IRON SLUG, great band name by the way, are a two piece Sludgey Doom act from Kent, England, Hey let's give it up for Kent! They originally started out in 2022. Since then they've released a demo plus a handful of short form releases. Deceit and Misery is their five song full length debut. Which means there's a few long cuts which trudge along. 

So what's cool about this album / band, well everything. The line-up consists of Will Rayner on guitars & vocals and Will Bond who plays bass, drums and gives backing vocals. Now like I mentioned earlier musically this is classic sounding Sludgey Doom which is as American as apple pie. and it's done so fuckin well. 

Not only are the riffs bone crushing but the overall atmosphere with the rhythm section gives off this mournful atmosphere. Will Rayner is a damm cool vocalist. He keeps things sounding clean but painful. Remember people it's Doom therefore we're not happy. 

Yeah this is a great debut album by IRON SLUG. Keep an eye on this band because I predict they'll be huge and not just because of their mammoth sized riffs.     

https://roadtomasochist.co.uk/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_wGNoC6lGs

WITCHING HOUR - Descending Where Time Has Ceased to Exist review

 

WITCHING HOUR - Descending Where Time Has Ceased to Exist

Dying Victims Productions

So it's some time since Germany's WITCHING HOUR graced us with a new release. When this came in for review I was like hey I know this band. And yeah because I have their And Silent Grief Shadows the Passing Moon CD from 2018 which came out on Hells Headbangers Records. After giving this new one a listen I played the CD I have and then thought yeah I've got a few things to say. 

But first off a little history. WITCHING HOUR started back in 2006. This three piece, who are all original members today, released their debut full length, Rise of the Desecrated, in 2009. What we have here is their fourth studio album. What's cool about WITCHING HOUR at least in the past was that they had one foot in their nation's traditional Blackened Thrash template and the other in NWOBHM. 

On this new eight song full length WITCHING HOUR have accepted their role as being the new standard bearers of great traditional Teutonic Blackened Thrash for the most part. I mean who does not like evil sounding German music which reminds ya of early DESTRUCTION? Now sure they're on the raw side of production values but hey just turn up the volume. 

I'll just say that this new one from WITCHING HOUR is damm good. I'll take this over what the original Teutonic Thrash three are doing today easily. Nuff Said! 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/descending-where-time-has-ceased-to-exist

GREYHAWK - Warriors of Greyhawk review

 

GREYHAWK - Warriors of Greyhawk

Cruz del Sur Music

When you come to this site that last thing you expect is some Extreme Metal maniac talking about Power Metal. But hey I do know what sounds cool regardless. With that said I've been following this Seattle, Washington five piece act for a few years now. They started out in 2016.Their debut full length, Keepers of the Flame, came out in 2020. They followed that up with the great Call of the Hawk EP in 2022. But 2024's Thunderheart was decent. 

With all of that said I still figured GREYHAWK would become the premier US Power Metal band of the 2000's. Duh, so listen to this one.This album equals or better outs what the Germans have been doing of late. I mean like hey HELLOWEEN, listen to this US steel.

So what's great about GREYHAWK? Well lets start with vocalist Anthony Corso. This guy does the whole Power Metal vocal style as well as belt out some 80's style Hard Rock singing. Next up you've got the guitar duo of Jesse Berlin, the riff master, and Rob Steinway, the soloist. This pair nail it throughout this album. The drum work and bass duties are flawless.

 

GREYHAWK's third full length is a masterpiece of Power Metal combined with some 80's Melodic Hard Rock. I knew this band was gonna be great. 

https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/

LISTEN HERE:

https://greyhawkmetal.bandcamp.com/album/warriors-of-greyhawk

NECROGORE - Ectoplasmic Rape Phenomena review

 

NECROGORE - Ectoplasmic Rape Phenomena

Awakening Records

Well with a name like NECROGORE how could I not resist checking it out. Of course after a boring instro intro it didn't take long for me to figure out what's up with this band. Ya know there was a time when the Old School Swedish trident of Death Metal (aka: ENTOMBED, GRAVE and DISMEMBER) were merely considered influences. Nowadays they're being heralded to a position similar to H.P. Lovecraft's elder gods. Yeah this isn't respect anymore it's fuckin worship.

Now sure I'd expect a newer band from Sweden to follow along with their roots. But this is a three piece act from Italy who are totally killing it sound-wise. To put it bluntly this is damm better than a recent Swedish DM album I heard earlier this year. Musically it's obvious this trio likes DISMEMBER with that furious wall of HM-2 Boss pedal sound. I mean the fuckin riffs are there plus that thunderous bass which was the clincher when blasting Like an Ever Flowing Stream and Indecent and Obscene. 

But lyrically these guys are like VOMITORY who are number four to me as far as Old School Swedish DM goes. I mean with a song like "Raptured, Tortured and Chained". that's very close to Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize. And let's not forget VOMITORY's debut full length Raped in Their Own Blood. But as far as these guys you've got "Forced to Eat Shit" as well as "Leeches on My Dick" which is not a love song. 

All in all yeah this album hails with only one complaint. There are times when the snare drum comes off as sounding like beating upon Tupperware (nowadays for you young people we'll just say a plastic container). Other then that oh yeah this rules. I'll also say by looking at the cover artwork. I'm surprised this release did not come out on two other labels which I am a regular fan of.  

 

https://awakeningrecords.cn/

LISTEN HERE:

https://awakeningrecordscn.bandcamp.com/album/ectoplasmic-rape-phenomena

ROTTEN BLASPHEMY - Worshippers of Chaos review

 

ROTTEN BLASPHEMY - Worshippers of Chaos

Witches Brew

Ya know twenty years ago I would've thought this was cool as fuck. Mainly because I was buying every South American Extreme Metal release, original or reissue, I could find. I mean I was on a tear and a bank account to cope with payments. I mean I've got a ton of South American Extreme Metal. I don't have to name names and yeah I've got some from Columbia. 

By the way ROTTEN BLASPHEMY hail from Columbia. They're a three piece act who started out in 2011. Since then they've put out some short form releases. But here we have their full length debut. I give this band some props because they're not a straight up Black Metal act. 

They try to be on a few cuts from this eight track album. but the bottom line is that this band is all into Blackened Thrash and Black n Roll. Personally I think that's cool and if I was at one of their shows I'd be enjoying the slam pit action taking place. Sound-wise this is raw as fuck which is understandable. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

In the end yeah this is decent. I really like the cuts "Rise and Sin", "Violence" and the title track the most. Give this band another year and a newer album and we'll see what happens then. Nuff Said!    

https://witchesbrew.eu/en

LISTEN HERE:

https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/album/worshippers-of-cha-s

KREATOR - Krushers Of The World review

 

KREATOR - Krushers Of The World

Nuclear Blast Records

So as someone who is an early fan of this band as well as Tuetonic Thrash in general I have to say the following. KREATOR's last two albums sucked. Prior to them I'd say 2012's Phantom Antichrist was decent. With that said I think Krushers Of The World sucks as well. 

This is Thrash for fuckin posers which is funny because it's not even Thrash. This album sounds more like Power Metal than anything else. So KREATOR is a Power Metal band now. Well they're pretty cheesy at that as well. I knew I was gonna hate this and wasted an hour. Fuck You!

https://www.nuclearblast.com/de/#gbaid74159

LISTEN HERE:

https://kreator.bandcamp.com/album/krushers-of-the-world

CHUFFED - Demo 2025 review

 

CHUFFED - Demo 2025

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

So this is pretty cool and it's because the band shows promise in a style of music I really like. Basically it's Old School Death Metal in the Swedish vein crashing head long into 1980's Hardcore ala England's DISCHARGE. Now there are a few older bands, yeah from Sweden, who have done it all before. But in recent years I discovered two cool new bands from Sweden, CRAWL and FERAL, who nail the sound to perfection. 

Sorry but they're not on this label. This act here hails from the mountains of Pennsylvania. OK like where? Are we talking the Catskills, the Poconos or the fucking Allegheny Mountains which is Bigfoot country. I mean maybe those mountain towns are an influence in like boredom. 

Which brings us back to this five track release. CHUFFED is actually a one man band. The one man being Deron Christman who performs all the instruments and vocals. Supposedly he'll have a full band the next time we hear from em. I hope so because this is raw sounding killer fucking Extreme Metal. I like Deron's guttural vocals. The riffs on here are crunchy as sin. And of course the drum work is hardcore as fuck. 

I'll be waiting for CHUFFED's full length debut in the future but for now damm pick this fucker up. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2025

GORE MACHINE - Congealed and Foaming review

 

GORE MACHINE - Congealed and Foaming

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Here's the second full length by this one man Brutal Death Metal / Goregrind act hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Yeah that place is also known as the city of brotherly love. Your opinion will change once you give this one a listen. Then you'll know why I call Philly "Hostile City, USA." The one man involved here is named Druesome and is responsible for the usual aka: all instruments, vocals, and sampling duties.

On the band's debut, Macerated & Liquified from 2024, Druesome pretty much created a concept album dedicated to The Darwin Awards. Basically it was all about individuals who did totally fucked up things which not only defy common sense. But end up having the people either dying or totally fucking themselves up. 

This new one follows the same vein to a point. The Ten songs on here are all dedicated to people fucking them selves up. I'll give Druesome some credit because he does do research into all of these grizzly tragedies. That's better than your generic wannabe goregrind BDM act these days. 

Of course the one problem I have with this album as well as the debut is the production. I can only imagine what this would sound like if everything was amped up a touch. So for me I can just blast this in the music room till the windows shake. Hopefully the neighbors don't call the cops on me, again. 

Yeah this is another winner from Druesome. I like his altered vocal intros to each song. The hellish screams, pig squeals and grunting which pass for vocals are cool. The guitar riffs have that sick tone. The drums sound like someone beating on a plastic pickle bucket. I mean this is the real deal.   

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/congealed-and-foaming

ZERRE - Rotting on a Golden Throne review

ZERRE - Rotting on a Golden Throne

Dying Victims Productions

I'd file this one under the genre terms of Thrash, Crossover and Speed Metal. I've listened to it a few times now and I like it a lot because it reminds me of past greatness which I remember so well. This five piece act hails from Germany. I seriously doubt you'll see em on a stage at Wacken Open Air. Then again you might catch em playing at the worst club in Berlin. I'm thinking some basement underneath an Indian restaurant. After hours the place smells like spilled beer, sweat and curry. 

Be that as it may this is the fourth full length by ZERRE. Years ago after two albums a German Speed Metal band would be doing Power Metal. Obviously that's the case here. This release has nine cuts on it but actually it's eight with a boring intro. These guys are into long stretched out songs. Whatafuck, ya think you're Germany's version of METALLICA? Well maybe they do influence wise. 

While listening to these songs I had to laugh a few times. The actual opening cut is "Pigs Will Be Pigs". Yeah you guys are too young to know who the Stasi where. "Concrete Hell" is a damm good cut and should be a video hit. The title track is where these Germans show their EXODUS influence. Which is cool as fuck to me. 

The bottom line is that ZERRE's fourth full length will be better received by young underground enthusiasts as opposed to shiny over produced bullshit mainstream Thrash.Hey that's why I like it and it's a fuckin winner. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/rotting-on-a-golden-throne

 

CULTIST - Spiritual Atrophy review

 

CULTIST - Spiritual Atrophy

Awakening Records

Just for the record I'm old. How old you ask? Well I was into Death Metal before people coined the phrase Death Metal. Seriously back in the day when we first heard POSSESSED or MANTAS / DEATH we didn't know what to call it at first. So with that said when I listen to a newer Death Metal band now my attitude towards em is either One: I like it. It's killer as fuck. Two: it's interesting. Or Three: I'm fucking bored by this point. 

CULTIST, who hail from Calgary, Canada, fall into the number two category because sound-wise this band is interesting as fuck.Which by the way is damm good. On this the band's second full length since starting out in 2015. CULTIST you're gonna hear a genuine mix of Death Metal sounds from the old to the early Tech Death days. Which to me is the perfect era of Death Metal.

This album starts of with an atmospheric instro intro and of course I hate that. Once the actual first song "Coursing Between Worlds" kicks into gear then the fun starts. First off lets give props to guitarist Betzi Poitras because this guy is an evil riff master as well as a deliverer of diabolical solos. This guy is just as good and should be named along side some of Florida's elite DM guitarists. 

Next up is the twisted vocal style by bassist / singer Vanessa Grossberndt who can roar like a maniacal beast, scream like a witch and can growl like a bear. Although the rest of the band does add vocals. Add to the that the dynamic drum work of Jim Petigo. 

In the end you've got a nine song album albeit with two instrumentals. Still it's a kick ass listening experience to say the least. I'm not gonna say it's one the best but it's close to the top and worth checking out.

https://awakeningrecords.cn/

LISTEN HERE:

https://awakeningrecordscn.bandcamp.com/album/spiritual-atrophy

EXHUMED - Red Asphalt review

 

EXHUMED - Red Asphalt

Relapse Records

Alright in my not so humble opinion I say Gore Metal from 1998 and Slaughtercult from 2000 are the best EXUMED full length releases period end of story. They were fuckin Gore Grind and America's version of CARCASS. With that said I still have picked up all of their full lengths and a cool as fuck three CD compilation of their pre - full length material. 

Let me add next is that All Guts, No Glory from 2011 and Necrocracy from 2013 fall into my category of being damm good. Which means all of their other releases are OK to say the least. So I was looking forward to this new EXUMED album and shocker it's a concept album. Red Asphalt is all about death and destruction on the highways. 

Actually that's a cool concept from a band who's all about death, gore, pain and tragedy. Musically Matt Harvey and company deliver a good sounding Death Metal album. There's some old days' grind within and Death Thrash to boot. I think the song structures are killer. Matt Harvey is still influenced by CARCASS this time with the more melodic Heartwork era, 

Early in this review I named my four favorite EXUMED albums. This new one falls in at number five. Nuff Said! 

https://www.relapse.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://exhumed.bandcamp.com/album/red-asphalt